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An SAS veteran who wrote a best-selling book about fighting Iraqi insurgents today blamed flawed tactics for the rising British death toll in Afghanistan.
John Geddes told the Standard that “futile” vehicle patrols during daylight were leaving troops as sitting ducks for the Taliban and costing lives.
He also called for better intelligence — including gathering crucial information from paid informers — so that targeted night-time operations could be mounted to “take out” the insurgents' leaders.
Mr Geddes — a former SAS warrant officer who served in the Balkans and Northern Ireland before working as a private security guard in Iraq — blamed the military's failure to adopt such tactics on interference from “grubby politicians who think they are generals”.
He warned that unless the lessons of earlier conflicts, such as Northern Ireland, were adopted, further lives would be lost. In those times troops did not mount futile vehicle patrols in bandit country, he said, but instead gathered intelligence and moved by helicopter or only at night in targeted raids.
But in Helmand, he said, British troops were travelling in “full daylight view”.
Mr Geddes's remarks will be seen by observers as reflecting wider concern among some in the military about British tactics in Afghanistan.
His comments come as the number of fatalities and serious injuries sustained in the country continues to rise sharply. Five British troops have died already this month during operations in Helmand, and July had a record death toll of 22.
The number of British fatalities since the conflict began in 2001 has risen to 196. Many of the deaths have been caused by blasts from the roadside bombs — improvised explosive devices — increasingly being used by the Taliban.
Anger is already growing over the lack of armour on British vehicles and an alleged shortage of the helicopters which would allow troops to fly over dangerous zones instead of driving.
But Mr Geddes said the fundamental problem was poor tactics. He added: “Don't waste fuel on high-visibility patrols that turn into Taliban bomb runs; better spend the money on paying informants, so we can target the Taliban in their beds.
“Get their identities, the location of their arms caches and the co-ordinates of their encampments then go after them, turning the terror tables the other way round. Carefully planned, covert night-time raids on known targets should replace the endless patrols.
“Operations that appear random to the enemy are the best way to avoid IEDs and the poignant funeral parades through Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire,” he added. “Routine patrols along bomb alley aren't big and they aren't clever.” Mr Geddes, who fought with the Parachute Regiment in the Falklands before joining the SAS and serving in covert operations in the Balkans, Northern Ireland and Africa, claimed that the failure to pursue a more effective approach was because military chiefs were being restricted by political meddling.
He added: “Untie the hands of the army and unleash them on the enemy.”
Reader views (4)
Sounds good but we have had a minimum of a million dollars for directions to bin Laden for more than 10 years, presently 25 million? Not all people can be bought. But may be worth a try.
- R Scott, Drake, Colorado, USA, 12/08/2009 06:28
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Well said here by the SAS man, what idiots think travelling by day is 'safe'? and why the hell don't we have more helicopters yet, what is the delay?? MPs have a lot of questions to answer and they should be held to account over the negligence and inability to equip our troops properly, starting with Geoff Hoon!
- John, London, 11/08/2009 10:37
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As someone who as never been in the military I could never understand why you would want to expose yourself to the enemy in broad daylight. Leaving bombs at the roadside and waiting for the enemy to sidle up and then just detonate the bomb from miles away is a good way to inflict terror on a superior and better-armed force. Gathering lots of information about where everyone is and then taking them out when they least expect it is the way to go. Again we have stupid politicians and other so called security experts telling the professionals what to do. It seems that none of these politicians have ever done any time in the military and it is really beginning to show. Put people like Mr Geddes in charge who are the real experts on how to fight roadside bombers and keep the powder puff politicians out of the combat scenario.
- Stephen,London, London, England, 11/08/2009 09:47
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Would help if every time an MP or minister visited Afghanistan, whilst there they travelled by road.
- Shallotman, Basildon, 11/08/2009 09:39
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